The realignment of congressional districts in Pennsylvania following the 2020 Census has resulted in Times News area municipalities finding themselves in three different districts that involve Carbon, Schuylkill, Lehigh, Northampton and Monroe counties.

The district boundaries were not finalized until earlier this year and were done so by a ruling of the Pennsylvania Supreme Courts.

The state courts were involved because of partisan wrangling and lawsuits over congressional redistricting by the Republican-controlled Legislature. After the GOP redrew the lines, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed the legislation and the Supreme Courts, having a Democratic majority, overturned the Republicans’ action.

In vetoing the GOP plan, Wolf said it was the result of a “partisan political process.”

The state, with a delegation of nine Democrats and nine Republicans, is losing a seat in the House following the 2020 Census.

Republicans said the map they came up with would elect nine Democrats and eight Republicans. State courts eventually stepped in and approved a map that probably will elect 10 Democrats, the GOP argued.

The districts

The high court placed Carbon County in the 7th Congressional District along with all of Lehigh and Northampton counties and parts of Monroe County.

In addition to Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties as a whole, the parts of Monroe County that are in the district are the townships of Eldred, Polk and Ross (all blocks except 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2021, 3001, 3003, 3004, 3005, 4000, 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4005, 4006, 4007, 4009, 4010 and 4011 of tract 301203).

Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat from Lehigh County, is seeking re-election to another two-year term in that district. She is unopposed on the Democratic side and will face the winner of a GOP race between Kevin Dellicker and Lisa Scheller, both also from Lehigh County. Wild defeated Scheller in the 2020 election.

The significant change to Carbon County is that Rep. Dan Meuser will no longer represent the county after this year, as he is the 9th Congressional District.

The 9th includes all of Bradford, Columbia, Lebanon, Montour, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties and parts of Berks, Luzerne and Lycoming counties.

Meuser, a resident of Luzerne County, is running unopposed on the Republican ticket in the 9th District, as is Democrat Amanda R. Waldman of Lycoming County. The two will face off in the general election.

Meanwhile, parts of Monroe County that are in the Times News coverage area will participate in balloting for the 8th Congressional District.

That newly realigned district includes all of Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne counties and parts of Luzerne and Monroe counties, including the townships of Barrett, Chestnuthill, Coolbaugh, Hamilton, Jackson, Middle Smithfield, Paradise, Pocono, Price, Ross (only blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2021, 3001, 3003, 3004, 3005, 4000, 4001, 4002, 4003, 4004, 4005, 4006, 4007, 4009, 4010 and 4011 of tract 301203), Smithfield, Stroud, Tobyhanna and Tunkhannock and the boroughs of Delaware Water Gap, East Stroudsburg, Mount Pocono and Stroudsburg.

Rep. Matt Cartwright, a Democrat, is running for re-election in the district and is unopposed within his party. He will face the winner of a Republican race between Jim Bognet and Mike Marsicano. Cartwright defeated Bognet in the 2020 election.